Mover's Guide: New Jersey

August 10, 2010

Division of Elections: 800-292-0034

I moved from the address at which I am registered. What should I do?

I moved from another state.

If you moved to New Jersey from another state, you must register to vote in New Jersey to be able to vote.[1] The last day to register in time to vote in the next election is twenty-one days before the election.[2]

If you moved from out of state, you are only eligible to vote if you have been a resident of New Jersey and of your county for at least thirty days prior to the day of the election in which you want to vote.[3] But under federal law, if you move within thirty days of a presidential election, you are allowed to vote for President and Vice President in your former state of residence, either in person or by absentee ballot.[4]

I moved within New Jersey.

If you moved to a new address within the same county, you should submit a signed written request to your election commissioner or appear in person at the commissioner or municipal clerk office to update your registration record.[5] If you moved to a new address in a different county, you should complete a new registration form to update your registration records.[6] That form is available here: http://www.njelections.org/voter-registration-application.html

The election is right around the corner and I never updated my registration from my previous address. What should I do?

If you moved to a new address in the same county since you last voted, you should contact your local election official to determine whether your registration is current and to find out the location of your current polling place. Election officials may have changed your registration record to reflect your new address even if you did not notify the election official about the move. If your registration information has been changed to your current address, you should go to the polling place associated with that address to vote.

Many registered New Jersey voters who move are still entitled to cast a ballot that will be counted — even if they did not notify the appropriate election official about their move before Election Day and the election official has not changed their registration.

Scenario One: New Address, but Same Polling Place

If you moved to a new address that is covered by the same polling place as your old address, you can vote at that polling place after confirming your change of address in writing. This is true regardless of how close to the election you moved.[7]

Scenario Two: New Address in Same County but New Polling Place

If you moved to a new address within the same county but with a different polling place, you can vote a provisional ballot at the new polling place after confirming your change of address in writing.[8] No identification is necessary to prove your new address.[9]

Scenario Three: New Address in New County

If you moved to a new address in a different county within New Jersey within 30 days of the election, you can vote at the polling place associated with your former address.[10]

If you moved to a new address in a different county more than 30 days before an election you should complete a new registration form to update your registration records.[11] The last day to register in time to vote in the next election is twenty-one days before the election.[12]